PURSUE AND RECOVER
1 Samuel 30:1-20
We cannot surrender leadership and initiative to the enemy. Although the enemy may be aggressive, invading, smiting,
burning and taking people captives and prisoners, we need to confront the enemy with the courage of faith, the might of the
Lord and possess our possession (Obadiah 17).
When the enemy strikes and leaves a catalogue of plunder in his trail, we need to rise up to pursue and recover the plundered
resources whether people or property.
Has Satan taken away your inheritance? Pursue and Recover! Has the thief stolen your marital joy? Pursue and Recover! Has
the devil deceitfully taken away the truth from you and given you a counterfeit? Pursue and Recover!
SATANIC PLUNDER OF RESOURCES
1 Samuel 30:1-3; Job 1:9-22; 2:1-10; Genesis 14:1-17; Isaiah 14:12,16,17; John 10:10; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
The Amalekites did four things: (1) Invaded Ziklag, (2) smote Ziklag, (3) burnt Ziklag with fire and (4) took the women and
children captives (1 Samuel 30:1-3).
The four-fold activity of the Amalekites vividly depicts the strategy of Satan. Satan invades, smites, burns with fire and takes
people captive. Consider the case of Job – Satan invaded Job’s life, smote his children dead, smote his property, smote his
body with sickness, burnt his sheep with fire, and lastly took Job’s wife captive – turned her against God and Job (Job 1:9-22;
2:1-10).
Just with a little alteration, consider the strategy of the enemy in warring against Sodom – invasion, smiting and taking people
captive (Genesis 14:1-17).
Satan by his invasion weakens nations, shakes kingdoms, makes the earth to tremble, by his smiting and burning with fire
turns the world into a wilderness and destroys countless cities and then takes people captive (Isaiah 14:12,16,17).
Satan in his characteristic style as a thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Can we not see the same trend here? Invasion,
smiting, burning with fire, taking people captive (John 10:10).
When Satan invades a family, he smites and destroys valuables and virtues, reduces dreams, hopes and aspirations to ashes
and lastly takes the remaining into captivity.
The enemy invaded Ziklag when it was unguarded. Watch and pray. Guard your life, mind, and resources because the enemy
is roving around like a thief and pirate. The enemy carried out his plan with precision. Never underestimate the skill and
power of the enemy.
SAINTLY PRAYING FOR REVELATION
1 Samuel 30:4-8; 11:1-5; 23:2,4,9-12; 2 Samuel 5:19,23; 2:1; 21:1; Proverbs 3:5,6; Acts 1:24-26; 13:2,3.
David and his men returned from their battles only to witness the satanic plunder of Ziklag. The people wept until they were
completely exhausted (1 Samuel 30:4). Weeping does not bring any solution to the problem (1 Samuel 11:1-5). Weeping will
only sap you of the remaining strength that you could have used to pursue and recover. Weeping will make your eyes to be
heavy, your vision blurred and your sight cloudy. It will only dull the edge of your thinking. Weeping may be the natural
thing to do, but it can only lead to self-pity and human sympathy. It is not the way to a workable solution. Weeping can only
lead to deadly inactivity that allows Satan more time and room to destroy, smite and plunder.
However in the midst of all this mess, David though himself was greatly distressed “encouraged himself in the Lord his
God” (1 Samuel 30:6). He decided to seek the Lord and His guidance through the divinely appointed way – priestly
mediation (1 Samuel 30:7-8). David enquired of the Lord if he should pursue. He also asked if he will recover all. God
answered in the affirmative.
In times of crisis, we need to pray for divine revelation of what to do. God knows all the answers, has all the solutions to our
problems, can direct us to ways of escape from the crisis. We need to depend upon Him to tell us what to do.
STRATEGIC PURSUIT AND RECOVERY
1 Samuel 30:8,18,19; Genesis 14:14-16,21; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Joshua 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56; Obadiah 17.
“Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all” (1 Samuel 30:8). This was God’s emphatic
answer to David. The promises of God are yea and amen. They are unfailing. He has the power to make His word good (2
Corinthians 1:20; Joshua 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56).
Although other events transpired between the beginning of the pursuit and the final recovery of all things and people, the
outcome proved the faithfulness of God and His commitment to fulfil His promise.
The sweet end of the story reads: “And David recovered ALL that the Amalekites had carried away” (1 Samuel 30:18).
Verse 19 made the same point in another way.
We cannot recover our losses if we don’t pursue. The man that wants to recover all must be ready to pursue and overtake the
enemy. Abraham pursued the enemy and recovered all (Genesis 14:14-16,21).